William Johnson, marketing and communications director at Innovate BC, said it’s a great opportunity for teens in Grades 10 to 12 to see how they might fit into the tech landscape.

“B.C. has become a hub for global companies like Microsoft, Amazon, and Facebook,” said Johnson. “We have over 10,000 [companies] who employ more than 100,000 people.

“We’re attracting new talent to the industry and really having conversations about what the jobs of the future are going to look like.”

Jobs in virtual reality and the science of helping people live longer weren’t a reality even a decade ago, he said, so it’s key to make sure young people hear what job prospects will be like once they graduate.